Muffled Voices
by Sarah Bart
Summary: The in-between of Rory and Amy. Growing up sucks, but at least you have a friend.


Disclaimer: I don't own anything Doctor Who related.

"_How can he be real? He was never real! It was just a game. We were kids. You made me dress up as him." –Rory, "The Eleventh Hour"_

Amelia pond sat in her garden, watching an ant crawl through the grass. She was cold. The dew of the morning had settled on everything, including her. Even the light breeze through her wool coat gave her a chill. She didn't know what time it was, but she knew it had been a few hours. Her bum hurt from sitting on her case for so long. She knew that it wouldn't be long until Aunt Shannon came home and she would need to be inside the house before then. She felt tears begin to well up in her eyes. Like so many grown ups before, the crazy man in the blue box had lied to her. He'd said it would only be five minutes. He'd said he would take her with him. He'd said everything would be just fine.

A single tear rolled down Amelia's cheek. She sniffed and wiped her nose with her mitten. She heard footsteps outside of the garden. _Oh no, Aunt Shannon_, she thought.

"Amelia." A small, familiar voice called. Through the gate came Rory. Rory's dad and Aunt Shannon worked together at the hospital. His family only lived about a mile down the road and, although he was a year older than her, he seemed to like being around her for some reason.

"Dad called and said that Shannon has been trying to ring all morning. She's worried sick. He sent me to come check in on you." Rory said. He was wearing his football kit. He probably had practice after this.

"I'm fine, Rory."

"Why didn't you answer the telephone?"

"I didn't hear it." Amelia answered plainly.

"What happened to your shed?" Rory asked, noticing the damage in the garden.

"A police box landed on it."

"The Police were here?"

"No, just a man in a police box. He says he's a doctor." She said, quite serious. Rory furrowed his brow, confused.

"A doctor?"

"Yeah."

"A doctor crushed your shed with a police box?" Rory sat down opposite Amelia staring at her thoughtfully. Amelia thought that Rory looked at everything thoughtfully. His sleepy eyes made him look like he was always somewhere inside his head, as Aunt Shannon would say.

"Well actually, he said it was a time machine. And he said I'd be able to come with and travel with him," Amelia stated excitedly.

"Can I come?" Rory asked hopefully.

"No, you've got to go to practice."

"Where is he?" Rory scanned the garden

"He said he'd be back in five minutes."

"When was that?"

"More than five minutes ago" Amelia was dejected. She wrapped her chin in her arms, tears once again rising to her eyes. Rory scooted over and sat to the right of Amelia. He rubbed her back, trying to comfort her.

"How long have you been out here, Amelia?" He asked with some concern.

"I don't know," she sniffed, her voice was muffled in her coat. "It was dark." Rory frowned. He hated to see people upset. His mum called him "sympathetic", his dad called him names his mum wouldn't allow him to repeat.

"Aren't you going to go inside?"

"No!" She yelled, "He said he'd be back! He promised!" Amelia's brow was deeply furrowed. She looked tired and cried out from spending the night in the garden. Rory couldn't just leave her here, not it this state.

"How about I wait with you then?"

"No, you have to go to practice," Amelia repeated.

"It won't matter if I go. They don't let me play anyway." He snorted. He gave her a goofy grin, proudly showing his newly missing tooth. Amelia smiled back.

"Alright, if you like." Amelia sighed. They sat in the garden. Amelia chattered on about the strange, raggedy doctor and the blue box. When she got to fish custard, Rory made a face. She told him about the crack in her wall and how the Doctor fixed it. She told him about the library and how there was a swimming pool in it. Rory just sat and listened.

"Can't we just play Monopoly?" Rory's voice was muffled by the closet door. He scratched his head beneath the wig. The massive fringe kept getting in his eyes.

"Pllllleeeeeaaaassse, Rory… I promise we can play that tomorrow," 8-year-old Amelia pleaded, standing out side the closet. "Just… just for now can we play this?" Rory sighed and leaned his head against the door.

"Only for a little while, please. This wig itches." He said, once again scratching his head. Amelia grinned and sat down at her play table, already set up.

"Alright… you can start." She said.

Rory burst through the bright blue closet door. He was wearing and old, denim shirt of his dad's that Amelia had taken to with scissors and magic marker. He had a tie fashioned out of construction paper and yarn. Rory's dad wouldn't give them one of his old ones to play with. Amelia had made him dirty up his school trousers in the garden. He wore a fluffy brown wig and in his hand he held a paper towel tube painted bright blue at the end.

"Hullo! I'm the Doctor" Rory shouted, just as Amelia had directed him. "Do you have any apples? I have a craving for apples!"

"No, but I do have fish fingers and custard." Amelia said with much delight.

"Even better!" Rory jumped into the chair opposite Amelia as she dished up the play-doh food. He pantomimed eating the food, very glad that it wasn't actual fish fingers and custard. Amelia had made that once and demanded that he finish it. He'd been sick for three days. After that, it had always been play-doh food. Rory slammed his fist on the table and leaned toward Amelia.

"Now, Amelia Pond," he said mischievously. "What can I do for you today?"

"You can take me in your time machine, but first you can save me from those mean girls at school who pushed me and made me skin my knee." Amelia said. Rory sat up, instantly out of character.

"Someone pushed you around? Why didn't you tell me? I could've saved you," Rory said.

"Ro-ry, I didn't want you to save me. You would've gotten in trouble!" Amelia tried to sound authoritative. Rory looked down, disappointed he couldn't be there for her.

"It doesn't matter. I still would've liked to help."

"But if you got in trouble, I'd have no one to play with"

"What about Jeff?" He said, mentioning her next-door neighbor. Amelia shrugged apathetically.

"Jeff doesn't ever want to play 'Raggedy Doctor.'" She sighed. Rory tilted his head. He hadn't realized until now that Amelia didn't have many friends. Honestly, neither did he. That may have been part of the reason they got on so well.

"I like you, Amelia."

"I like you too, Rory" This caused Rory to smile.

"Can I kiss you?" He asked. Amelia thought for a moment.

"Yeah," she answered. Rory began to pull the wig off. "Leave the fringe on." She said coolly. Rory repositioned his hair and leaned across the table. Their lips met with a quick smack. Amelia looked at him and smiled.

"We can play Monopoly now, if you like," she said. Rory tugged the wig off and stood up. As Amelia stood, Rory pulled her into a hug. It took her by surprise, but she found herself pretty comfortable with it.

"I'm sorry those girls pushed you," he said. "If they do it again, I'll come and save you." He pulled away and stepped back into the closet to change into his clothes.

"Rory, why is it a surprise?" 15-year-old Amy asked through the door of the bathroom. She attempted to sound annoyed, but her smile could be heard in her voice. She stood in the hallway dressed in a red and white gingham dress, white apron, knee socks, and red hooded cape. Her hair was in two plaits; she looked like the perfect Little Red Riding Hood. She looked up at the clock and sighed. If she and Rory didn't leave soon, they'd be late for the school Halloween dance.

"It just… It just has to be a surprise. For you at least." Rory stuttered. He smiled at himself in the mirror, patting himself on the back for this brilliant idea. He fluffed up the hair of the wig and opened the door.

"Ta-Da!" he yelled as he bounded out the door. Amy gaped. She backed against the wall. Rory was wearing brown pinstripes slacks with holes in the knees, a tattered blue dress shirt with only one end tucked in, a loosely done tie and canvas trainers. He had a brown wig on with a giant fluffy fringe and held a small thin torch with a piece of blue cellophane taped over the light.

"Well, what do you think? Remember? It's the Raggedy Doctor! From when we were kids!" Rory beamed. Amy's mouth hung open, no words escaping.

"Why are you doing this?" Amy gritted her teeth. "You think it's funny? You're going to start laughing at me behind my back like everyone else at school?" She yelled. A tear ran down her cheek and she dissolved to the floor. Rory's face dropped and he ran to Amy's side. He pulled off the wig and kneeled down before her.

"I'm… I'm sorry. I thought you would've liked it." Rory said. He wasn't used to seeing Amy like this. Amy was brave, perhaps the bravest person he knew. She was the only person he'd ever known to curse out a teacher and also the only person he'd ever known to get suspended for said outburst. To see her vulnerable broke his heart a little. Amy stared intently at the floor, forcing herself not to sob.

"I know how much fun we had as kids with that game, and… and I thought it would've made you laugh," Rory placed both hands on Amy's shoulders tentatively, giving her a stilted, physically awkward hug. Amy shifted and wiped a tear from her cheek.

"I know that he's not real." Amy said defensively. She stared at Rory hard and unblinking. Rory gave her a small smile.

"I know that. But… but neither is Little Red Riding Hood," He swept his hand, indicating her costume. "Doesn't mean it's not fun to, y'know, pretend. I wasn't trying to make fun of you. I promise." Rory sat beside Amy, rubbing her back.

"I know you weren't, Rory," She sighed and glanced at the costume. "Looks pretty good, though." Rory beamed.

"Thanks. Getting the tie right was the hardest part." He examined the tie. "Is Shannon still making you see that man?" Rory looked at her.

"No, she said it was a breakthrough I didn't bite this one, so I don't have to go anymore if I don't want to."

"So how many does that make now?"

"Four." Amy held the word long in her mouth.

"We're going to be late." He glanced at his watch.

"I don't feel like going anymore."

"C'mon, you'll have fun. It's Halloween."

"So?"

"So we should go. It's not like there's anything else to do in Leadworth." Rory offered. Amy gave a small laugh. She glanced towards Rory. He'd grown into his features pretty well and was actually looking handsome in a geeky, puppy-eyed, sort of way. Rory smiled at her.

"I like you, Amy."

"I like you too, Rory"

"Can I kiss you?"

"What, are we eight again?" Amy asked sarcastically. Rory grinned and leaned in. Their lips met softly in a chaste, but sweet, kiss.

Heavy, silent tears fell from Amy's eyes as she lay on her bed. She gulped hard. Her stomach was in painful knots. She pulled her knees into her chest, hoping to contain a sob.

"Amy?" Rory's voice was muffled by the door. "Amy, please say something." Rory leaned his head against the door. His mind was spinning. In spite of all the things that had happened yesterday, giant alien spaceships, Prisoner Zero, and the actual existence of the Raggedy Doctor, all Rory could think of was Amy's well being. The look on her face when that blue box vanished was like someone had torn her heart out. She'd collapsed right there in the garden, sharp, painful sobs jumping from her throat. Rory had practically carried her into the house and up to bed. He'd slept on her downstairs couch in case she needed anything. She hadn't said a word all night.

"Amy, it'll be alright. Just… just come down and I'll fix you a cup of tea," Rory pleaded. "We can talk."

"I don't want to talk, Rory," Amy said flatly. She sniffed and blinked a new surge of tears down her cheeks. "I… can I just be alone, please?" Her heart echoed in her ears; Rory's voice was just sound. She heard the creek of the hallway boards and realized that he was leaving. Part of her wanted him to stay, but somehow she couldn't bring herself to say it.

She squeezed her knees tightly. She felt 7-years-old again, that horrible feeling of disappointment burning through her. She wanted to scream, she wanted to destroy that man. Deep down, she wished the planet had been incinerated so that everyone could feel what she was feeling. She still wore her policewoman's uniform from the day before. _At least this time he hadn't promised to come back in five minutes_, Amy thought but that somehow made it worse. The incredible, mad Doctor had literally flown back into her life, given her a glimpse of what she could experience, and than just as swiftly pulled it away. Like sifting in a riverbank, his visit had brought up every bad memory from Amy's past: All the psychiatrists, all the fights with Aunt Shannon, the isolation she felt at school. He had opened the Pandora's box that she'd spent a decade trying to close. If he was an alien, he must be a terribly mean one, she thought.

Amy heard the creek of the stairs and heard a soft knock on the door.

"Amy?" Rory had returned, "Please, can I come in? I really… there's something I want to say. And then I promise I'll leave." Amy lifted her head up and propped her body up on her elbow.

"Alright," she resigned. Rory open the door slowly. He was wearing a floppy brown wig, tattered shirt, and pinstripe trousers. Amy bit her lip, her eyes still watery.

"Before you say anything, let me start off by saying I'm not making fun," Rory began. "But, I want you to know that I'm here when you need me and I… I can be your Raggedy Doctor if you want… Or nurse, as would be the case." He swallowed and scratched his head beneath the hairpiece. "I may not be a super genius able to save the world from killer aliens, but I make a good cup of tea and I'm able to make a you laugh and… I, I think you are smashing." Rory stuttered towards the end and looked down at his hands. Amy smiled and reached out a hand toward Rory. He took her hand as she pulled him onto the bed, snuggling under his arm. Neither spoke as they lay there in the dark.

"I, um… love you Amy," he gently stroked her arm. "I have for some time."

"I love you, too," Amy said quietly. "Thank you." She squeezed tighter beside him. Rory leaned down and kissed the top of her head. Amy lifted her head and pressed her lips lovingly to his.


End file.
